Electric-railway system



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. M. MURPHY & A. F. PIERCE. ELEGTRIG RAILWAY SYSTEM.

No 566.7155. n @tanned Sept. 1, 1896.

(No Model.)

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J.v M. MURPHY a A. P. PIERCE. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Patented Sept. 1, 18966 (No Model.)

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UNITED STATESV PATENT trice.

JOHN M. MURPHY AND ALBERT F. PIERCE, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORSTO THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF YVEST VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,786, datedSeptember 1, 1896.

Y Application filed September 10, 1895. Serial No. 562,047. [No model.)

To LZ2 whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,rJOHN M. MURPHY and ALBERT F. PIERCE, residing atDanbury, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new and Improved Electric-Railway System, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of electric-railway systems whereina main-line conductor and a series of sectional conductors are employed,through which, by suitable mechanism, the current is shunted,successively, as the car sets in operation switch devices for settingthe sectional conductors. In this class of railway systems the currentis shunted from the main wire to the sectional conductors byelectromagnetic means or by mechanical devices carried by the car foroperating the switch and cut-ott mechanism. In the practical applicationof electromagnetic devices it has been found that such devices require acareful adjustment and arrangement and numerous subcircuits, which,particularly during wet or wintry weather, frequently get out of order,if not entirely inoperative.

Our invention primarily has for its object to provide a simple andinexpensive electric system of the kind stated in which all of the wiresare practically insulated and in which the switch mechanism is operatedby direct transmission of power from the passing car.

Our invention further has for its object to provide an insulatedmain-line wire having insulated laterale, which have cut-off devices,and operating mechanism for such devices having means projected upthrough the trackrail adapted to be engaged by the flange or tread-faceof the wheel and thereby transmit a direct power to shift the cut-oddevices.

Furthermore, our invention has for its object to provide in a system ofthe kind mentioned switch or cut-oft mechanism which will eifeotivelyserve to shunt the current from one conductor-rail to the other, andwhich is operated by the movement of the carin either direction on therail.

With other minor objects in view, which will hereinafter appear, ourinvention consists in an electric-railway system embodying the novelcombination and peculiar arrangement of parts such as will be lirstdescribed in detail, and be specically pointed out in theappendedclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating our system as asingle-track line. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the same as adouble-track line. Fig. 3 is a transverse section7 taken practically onthe line 3 3 of Fig. l, showing the cut-off or switch devices and theoperating means therefor. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view, partsbeing in section to illustrate the arrangement of the switch or cut-offdevices the more clearly. Fig. '5 is a detail view illustrating one ofthe cut-offs and the switch-block connected therewith. Fig. 6 is adetail view illustrating the pushpin head and its relation to thetrack-rail, and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views hereinafter speciiicallyreferred to. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the double pawl hereinafterreferred to.

By referring to Figs. l and 2 the general arrangement of our improvedsystem will be clearly understood.

In the construction of our system the rails A A are insulated from eachother and the rail A' arranged in the nature of a sectional conductorcomprising members cz. a, which may be of any length desired, it beingmani- 8o fest that by providing a system of cut-offs and switches, ashereinafter described, the lengths of the sectional conductors may varyas the conditions may require. For instance, in a city on a crowdedstreet the sectional conductors may be of the length of a single rail,or two rails, or more, it being manifest that when a sectional conductoris formed of two or more rails the several rails forming such conductorare electrically connected. In suburban districts, especially where thetrackway is on a downgrade, the sectional conductors may be much longerthan in a city or on an up or level grade.

C indicates the main line or feed wire, which is insulated its entirelength and preierably held in a conduit or piping, as shown.

"While we have shown our current-supply devices and operating mechanismas buried underground, we desire it understood that roo we do notconfine ourselves to the use of the said devices as shown, aspractically the same arrangement may be used as an overhead system withbut a slight modification of parts. The main wire C runs parallel withthe track, preferably at one side thereof, whereby a great leverage orthrow power of the cutoff-operating devices can be obtained with aminimum depression of the push-rod hereinafter referred to.

D indicates the shunting devices, which are arranged in the laterals E,which connect the sectional conductors with the live wire, as mostclearly shown in Fig. 3, such shunting devices comprising a rotarycut-off G, and a switch-block F, connected therewith, having itsterminals f f connected with the sectional conductor or rail A and themain wire C, respectively. The cut-off G is in the nature of a diskformed of non-conducting material, such as hard rubber, and providedwith a series of contacts g g, spaced regularly apart, whereby toprovide alternate contact and insulated portions g g. The peripheries ofthe cut-offs G have a number of ratchetteeth g2, preferably one for eachspace g g, with which is adapted to engage a springpawl II, pivotallyheld on the end of a swinglever I, which extends transversely under thetrack-bed, it being pivoted at its outer end, as at t', to a pendentbracket j in a housing J, provided for the said lever and the cut-offand switch mechanism. In practice such housing J at a point above thecut-offs has a covered manhole, as shown. For each of the sectionalconductors a (ut oft and switch mechanism (shown in Fig) is provided,and each of the levers I has its outer end i2 connected to a push orpresser rod K, which extends up through the housing J and has a head k,Which, when a grooved rail is used, seats in the groove of such rail alittle above the base thereof. It will be noticed the member K passes upthrough the outside or ground rail, such arrangement being provided toobtain a sufficient sweep or throw of the pawl I-I and lever I tooperate the rotary cut-offs with a minimum depression of the member K,whereby to keep the said member K practically out of sight and in aplane with the upper face of the rail, so as not to form an obstructionfor vehicles.

WVe prefer to use in our system the grooved rail, as the head of the rodK will then be practically protected from being depressed and operatedby heavy vehicles passing over the same.

To hold the member K from being depressed by light vehicles, whosewheels may run in the groove of the rail, or by mischievous persons,such member is normally held spring-pressed to its upper position by apowerful coil-spring L, the tension of which in practice is regulated tobe overcome by the weight of the car-body.

So far as described it will be readily seen that should the cut-oit bein the position shown in Fig. 4: the current from the main line to therail will be broken and the sectional conductor connected to the cut-oft-be dead. When in this position, should the carwheel iiange engage themember K, such member will be depressed and the lever I, through itspawl, will rotate the cut-off G one space and move the contact-points ginto engagement with the terminals to the position shown in Fig. 3 andthereby throw the sectional conductor into electric connection with themain line, lit being obvious that, when so charged, the current will, asthe car passes over the charged conductor, pass up through the motor andout through the ground-rail.

To provide for cutting oft the current from each section as the carleaves the same and also for making any section operate independent ofthe others, in either direction of movement of the car, we provide eachcut-off G with a shaft G5, which extends back to the preceding conductor-section and has a toothed wheel O, corresponding in size and shapeto the cut-oit G of such preceding conductor, it being preferably heldin close relation to but not in contact with such cut-off G. The objectin thus locating the wheel O is to obtain duplex action, one for thesection to be cut out and the other for the section. to be made a livesection. For this purpose the pawl on each lever lisa double 4pawl, onemember of which engages the cnt-oif G, while the other engages the wheelO. At this point it should be stated the several cut-offs G have theircontacts g g arranged alternately, fi. e., when one contact is inelectric connection with the main wire the other is out of electricconnection therewith.

By the construction shown and described it ,will be clearly apparentthat should the car be at X in Fig. l the cut-ofi l will be in theposition shown in Fig. 3, and all others in the position shown in Fig.4, the conductor-section Y at this time being in electric connection.Now should the car reach the point marked Z it will depress the leverl2, which will cause the cut-0E l to move to the position shown in Fig.4, and at the same time, through the wheel 3, turn cut-o 2 to itsconnected position and make the section Y the live one, the section Y,as all others, being non-elec* tric. Thus a very simple and positiveswitch mechanism is provided, which will effectively serve to electrifythe conductor-rails, such mechanism being operative no matter in whichdirection the car moves, and each cutoff mechanism being independent ofthe other it follows that should one or more of the cutoft` mechanismsget out of order it would not materially interfere with the running ofthe cars. As a convenient means for protecting the shafts G5 of thecut-offs G and wheels O the same are held in tubular bearings R, whichare connected at the ends to the housing J, as shown.

While we have not illustrated our system as an overhead one, it ismanifest that prac TIO tically the same arrangement of devices,inverted, may be used for such purposes, a trolley being made to run onan overhead track,

.which will serve to operate the lever-operating members K the same asthe anges of the car-'wheel operate the ground system.

I-Iaving thus described our invention, what We claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a sectional-conductor electric-railway system comprising a maincircuit or conductor, a series of rail-conductors, laterale connectingsuch rail-conductors and the main conductor, switch devices eachconnecting a pair of laterals having a step-by-step movement and adaptedat each operation to alternately cutout one lateral and close thecircuit in the other, a pivoted lever-arm extended under the track,having at one end a pawl mechanism arranged to operate the switchdevices of each pair of laterals, and having at the other end a tread orpresser member extended up adjacent the track, to be engaged by thepassing car-wheel as set forth.

2. In an electric -railway system as described, the combination with themain-line circuit, the section-conductors, and the laterals connectingsuch cond uctors and main line, of rotary cut-offs, having alternatecontact and insulated spaces and a peripheral ratchet or tooth portionfor each space, the lever I and pawls H, and the presser K projected upthrough the ground-rail all arranged substantially as shown andspecified.

3. In an electric-railway system substantially as described, thecombination with the main line, the sectional conductors and thelaterals, of the rotary cut-offs in such laterals having alternatecontact and insulated spaces, a pivoted lever held transversely of therails, having a normal spring resistance, a presser member for the shortend of the lever adapted to be engaged by the passing car, and a pawlcarried on the long end of the lever adapted to engage the cut-off G andturn it one space at each depression of the presser member substantiallyas shown and described.

4. In a system as described, the combination with the sectionalconductors the main line, the laterals having cut-off devices and thepivoted-lever mechanism for shifting the cut-ois, of the grooved-railsections, and the presser-reds passing down'through the saidrail-sections and connected with the shiftinglever, and having headportions fitting and movable in the groove in the rail, and normallyheld from projecting above the treadi'ace of the said rail-sections asspecified.A

5. In an electric-railway system, as speciiied, the combination with themain line, the sectional conductors and the laterale connecting suchconductors and main line, of the rotary cut-offs G, for governing thelaterals, each having a rearwardly-extending shaft having acorrespondingly shaped rotary toothed wheel, disposed adjacent thecut-oft of the preceding lateral and a pivoted-lever mechanism operatedby the passing car, for each cut-oft, having a supplemental pawl adaptedto engage the tooth ed wheel adjacent the cut-o, the several cut-OHShaving their contact-points arranged alternately, whereby as one cut-offis rotated by the lever to a eutout position, the next succeedingcut-off will be moved to close the circuit in the lateral with whichitis connected as specied.

6. In a system as described the combination with the main electric wire,the sectional condn ctors and laterals, of the rotary cut-offs G, havingshafts G5 provided with toothed wheels O corresponding in shape to thecutoffs G, the lever I, pawls II and presser K, the housing J, and thetubular connections for the housing J forming bearings for the shafts G5all arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

7. An electric-railway system comprising a trackway having the rails atone side formed into a series of sectional conductors, an insulatedmain-line wire, held out-side of and adjacent the sectional-conductorrail, a series of rotary switch devices disposed between the main-lineand the conductor rail arranged to operate successively in pairs and atone operation to cut out the last conductor-section and electrify thenext forward section, a pivoted lever disposed under the track having apredetermined swing, and connected with a pair of switch devices, asshown, and a push member connected with the outer end of the said leverprojected up adjacent the return or ground rail member all arrangedsubstantially as shown and for the purposes described.

JOHN M. MURPHY. ALBERT F. PIERCE. lVitnesses:

REBECCA N. PIERCE, LEVI P. TREADWELL.

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